


The Blood of a King

by hubridbunny



Category: Kirby - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Human AU, Meta Knight-centric, Probably ooc
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-02
Updated: 2014-06-02
Packaged: 2018-02-03 00:42:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1724876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hubridbunny/pseuds/hubridbunny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Knight Meta is Prince Kirby’s most trusted knight. When there is an assassination attempt made on the prince’s life on the eve of his coronation, Pop Star is turned upside down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Blood of a King

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PajamaWarrior](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PajamaWarrior/gifts).



> Originally intended as a birthday present for my roommate, PajamaWarrior, but her birthday was back in February. Oops!
> 
> Special thanks to the Kirby Wiki.

“Are you nervous?” He asked. The prince stopped fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve, as if just realizing he was doing it. He looked down at his shoes.

“I guess I’m just worried that I won’t be as good of a king as my father was.” He said quietly.

“No one expects you to be the king your father was.” The prince looked up at him, hurt in his eyes, but his knight smiled softly at him. “Because you’re not your father. You will be King Kirby.”

After a moment the prince smiled, and nodded. He turned back to the large doors in front of he and his knight, took a deep breath, and threw them open, entering the ballroom.

The hall was alive with the sounds of merriment as people danced and laughed. The ballroom was full of guests; it seemed as if the whole kingdom had shown up to celebrate the prince’s coronation.

The herald announced their arrival, and the entire congregation turned to bow to the prince.

“Thank you for being here tonight to celebrate our coming-of-age and coronation, everyone. We are eternally grateful for your continued allegiance to our family.”

Knight Meta smiled. Looking at the prince now, dressed in layer after layer of gorgeously embroidered silks and decorated with delicate jewelry, he couldn’t help but notice how much he had grown. Speaking to the crowd gathered in front of him, he looked for all the worlds like a confident ruler, free of the nervousness and uncertainty about his position that plagued him immediately following his father’s death.

“The ceremony begins at daybreak. Until then, let us eat, drink, and be merry.” The prince raised a toast, and the gathered clapped.

Knight Meta leaned over to speak into Kirby’s ear. “Forgive me. This may not be proper for a knight to say to his prince.”

The prince turned to face him. “Then say it not as my knight, but as my friend.” He reached up to finger the beaded red ribbon holding his hair into the loose ponytail that rested over his shoulder. Knight Meta smiled and touched the one that hung from his own neck.

“I am very proud of you.”

Kirby's face lit up in a bright smile, the kind of genuine smile that Knight Meta loved so very much to see on the prince’s face. It could light up a whole room.

“Congratulations, Prince Kirby.” Prince Fluff said, approaching the two and drawing their attention back to the party.

Prince Fluff, the prince of a distant kingdom on Pop Star and cousin to Kirby… He was the classic picture of royalty, and the polar opposite to his cousin.

Prince Fluff was proper, to the point of appearing standoffish. His severe eyes had a look of disapproval and his mouth seemed to be permanently set in a slight frown. His features were softened by the faint hint of baby fat that remained.

He wore a small, simple gold crown atop the shoulder-length blue hair that framed his face. The lack of decoration on the headpiece was at odds with the rest of his outfit; his dark blue cloak had large epaulettes and was heavily decorated with gold trim and stitching. The light blue doublet he wore under it had gold buttons that had been polished so thoroughly that they shone like mirrors.

“Thank you, Prince Fluff.” Kirby tipped his head with a soft smile. Unlike his cousin, he could maintain an air of cordiality even when formality was required.

“We will be staying for a few days before heading back to our kingdom.” Prince Fluff declared. “We look forward to getting a chance to speak to you about the trade agreement between our two kingdoms in that time, but tonight is merely for celebration. Good-night, Prince Kirby.” Prince Fluff exited with a bow.

“Now I’ll actually be expected to participate in the council meetings.” Prince Kirby laughed, but it was hollow. His lips were tugged down in a frown and he was looking out at the crowd wistfully. “I’d rather be dancing and eating cake than greeting political partners and watching others have fun.”

Knight Meta knew, probably better than anyone, how much of a free spirit Kirby was. He was as much of a caretaker to Kirby as he was a bodyguard. In spring when the days were just beginning to get warm, the prince would get restless to play outside, and Knight Meta would assist in hiding him from his teachers so he could have a few minutes of fun. And when the prince was still hungry after lunch but dinner was still hours away, Knight Meta would help him sneak treats from the kitchen. Of course he could ask for anything he wanted and not be refused, but the thrill of the escapades gave him a chance to be a child and get away from always being treated as an adult.

Knight Meta rested a hand on the small of Kirby’s back. The prince looked up at him with a sad smile. The kind of forced smile that Knight Meta hated. It revealed a pain that even he, the prince’s most loyal knight and trusted companion, could not protect him from, as much as he tried.

“But it’s my responsibility, right?” Kirby looked down at his feet. “I don’t resent it.”

After a few moments he looked back up at his knight and began pushing him to join the party. “You don’t have to stand here with me all night, you know. Go, have some fun. Loosen up a little!”

“Prince—“ Knight Meta protested.

“Don’t worry about me. Nothing is going to happen.” Kirby cut him off.

“But—“

“Shh! The Dees are here in case anything does happen.” He glanced at the four infantrymen standing behind the prince. He didn’t miss how one of them was tapping a foot to the beat of the music or how another was staring off into the distance. Many of the thousands of infantrymen that the castle employed had never been in real combat. Knight Meta was unconvinced about their ability to even greet guests at the door, much less to protect the sole heir of the kingdom.

“Go enjoy the party.” _Because I can’t._ Kirby’s sad smile said what his voice didn’t. Knight Meta hesitated, but nodded.

Knight Meta stepped off the dais, making his way through the crowds to his two most trusted knaves. They were greeting guests at the entrance to the ballroom, and they nodded to him when they saw him approaching. “Sword, Blade—“

A short man dressed in mismatching patterns and colors jumped in front of him. “Sir Meta! You don’t take your helmet off even for the prince’s coronation party, eh? I put on my best robes for the occasion!”

"Lord Marx.” He paused for a moment to take in the full splendor of Marx’s getup. On his lavender hair sat a jester’s cap with exceptionally long tails patterned with blue circles and red triangles. He wore a large red bow over a bejeweled white shirt and a blue and red vest, with purple pinstripe shorts over a pair of mismatched blue-striped and red-checkered stockings. It was positively garish, even for the eccentric man.

“I-I can see that.” Knight Meta responded lamely. Marx smiled and did a little twirl to show off his outfit.

“My apologies. I can’t afford to let my guard down. It is my duty to protect the prince and all his guests.” Knight Meta finally managed. “And it would be a shame for my negligence to ruin the celebration you spent so long organizing.” He added, seeing Marx’s deflated look.

Marx still looked upset, but after a moment he smiled and said, “I’ll bring you some cake!”

Knight Meta turned back to Sword and Blade. They were watching Marx bounce away, the bells on the ends of his hat tails jingling with each step. Sword was smiling softly and the corners of Blade’s eyes were crinkled—the only way to tell she was smiling under her face mask.

"There are lots of guests tonight. Keep on the lookout for trouble.” Knight Meta said.

“Yes sir!” The pieces of their armor clanked together as they saluted.

Knight Meta looked back to where the prince was standing. It looked like one of the Dees was trying to entertain him with a silly dance that consisted mostly of a lot of hopping from one foot to the other.

“He grew into a fine young man.” Someone said as they drew up next to him. He recognized her as Drawcia, a sorceress and painter with much acclaim. “He looks like a competent and gracious king, just like his portrait.”

Her long powder blue hair spilled out over her shoulders and down her back. Knight Meta always assumed she kept it long for the same reason she insisted on wearing robes that touched the floor and an enormous hat: to make her appear taller.

Today her robes were a royal purple, decorated only with an embroidered stole.

“Take care of him.” The large brim of her purple hat shaded her eyes, but Knight Meta could still see the intensity in those clear yellow irises when they slid over to look at him. “If anything happens to him, you will be the one to take the fall.”

Knight Meta glanced at the prince again, but she answered his question before he could ask it.

“You are the person most responsible for the protection and upbringing of His Majesty. The blame for any unfortunate events will naturally rest solely on your shoulders.”

“I am aware of the implications of my position as the prince’s escort.” He was unsure of what else to say.

It must have been the answer she was looking for, because she smiled, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “Good.”

She turned with a swish of her robes, leaving him wondering what exactly she meant as he watched her walk away.

He looked at the prince again. Kirby’s expression was distant as he played with the red ribbon in his hair.

After a moment the prince came out of his daze. He surveyed the ballroom and smiled when he spotted Knight Meta.

Knight Meta didn’t return the smile. Drawcia’s warning made him nervous.

Despite what the prince may have thought, Knight Meta was not overprotective. Anything that happened to Kirby had consequences for the whole kingdom.

Knight Meta wanted to respect the prince’s wishes, but his foremost duty was to his protection. Kirby would goad him all night for worrying too much if he returned to his side because of Drawcia’s perplexing words of warning, but he couldn’t just leave him alone.

“Sword,” the knave turned to him, “Protect the prince. I worry about his safety.”

Sword looked confused, but he saluted and obeyed without question.

Knight Meta took Sword’s place across from Blade, who nodded to him.

He enjoyed her company. She was quiet, although more by force of circumstance than by choice, and he could rely on her swordsmanship in battle.

He looked toward the dais again, where Sword was standing with the prince. They chatted when Kirby was not busy exchanging niceties with people whom he had never heard of and never met. Knight Meta relaxed a bit at the knowledge that one of his most trusted knaves was beside him, and that Kirby had someone to speak with to pass the time.

A few hours later, families with young children and the people who came only to make an appearance of goodwill or to partake of the free food began considering it an appropriate time to leave for the evening. As Knight Meta bid them farewell at the door, he doubted many of them would return for the ceremony tomorrow morning.

“Magolor.” Knight Meta recognized the man and greeted him as he approached. He raised an eyebrow under his mask when he got a closer look at him.

The short man—Knight Meta wondered if all sorcerers were short—wore a lightweight white cloak with gold trim over a bright blue tunic that reached to his knees, almost hiding the brown trousers that were tucked into his tall boots. His belt was slightly askew, and a few strands of his dark brown hair were sticking out at odd angles from under his hood.

“Did you enjoy the party?" He asked.

"Indeed, very much so!” Magolor laughed from deep in his belly. Knight Meta noticed that his cheeks were slightly pink; it looked as if he enjoyed the drink too. “But the night is giving way to morning, and I believe now is the time I shall make my exit and tuck in for the evening.” Magolor continued, “Good-night, Knight Meta.”

"Good-night." Knight Meta tipped his head to the man as he ambled out of the ballroom.

As the night wore on, the flow of guests out of the hall slowed down. He guessed that the majority of the guests remaining were holding vigil, as is tradition, and would stay awake until after the ceremony ended tomorrow.

Knight Meta waved two Dees over to the door to take his and Blade’s places, and he made his way to the dais. Dismissing Sword with a nod, he took his place by Kirby’s side again.

“I didn’t see you dancing out there.” Kirby teased. Knight Meta considered returning the joke with one of his own, but Kirby’s attention had returned to the celebration. “It looks like the party is winding down.” The prince commented after a few moments.

The remaining partygoers were meandering around the ballroom. There was a comfortable, casual feeling in the air; everyone was filled with a languor from too much fun and too much drink.

Near the center of the ballroom, Marx was entertaining guests with a juggling act. Sword and Blade stood off to the side eating plates of what remained of the five-tier strawberry cake that chef Kawasaki had catered. It was the prince’s favorite.

“The party was a success, wouldn’t you say?” Prince Kirby asked. Knight Meta nodded.

The red and pink light of sunset that had shone through the large, central stained glass window at the beginning of the party had shifted to the calmer blues and purples of night. Similarly, the fever-like excitement of the partygoers from earlier in the evening had been replaced by a kind of tired contentment that slowed their movements—like a river that batters the shores with a rushing current until the rocks are worn smooth and the water becomes calm.

Knight Meta could feel the effects of the same calm that had fallen like a blanket over the guests, and he allowed himself to enjoy the peace.

And then the stained glass window of the ballroom shattered.


End file.
